Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-05-14

know more Indeed, be had not perhaps
realized how strong and definite his interest
was till he heard that she was going away
for long period, Suddenly it struck him
that the farm would be very dull without
this interesting woman moving about the
place in her silent, resoiute kind Of way
Bessie was, no doubt, delightful and charm
ing to look ON, but she had not got her sis
ter's brains and originality; and John Mel
was sufficiently above the ordinary run to thor
oughly appreciate intellect and originality in a
woman, instead of standing aghast at it. She
interested him intensely, TO say the least of it,
and, manlike, he felt exceedingly put out
and even sulky, at the idea of her departure
He looked at her in remonstrance, and even,
in awkwardness begotten of his irritation
knocked down the vinegar cruet and made
mess upon the table; but she evaded his eyes
and took no notice of the vinegar. Then,
feeling that he had done all that in him lay,
he went to see about the ostricheS: first of all,
hanging about little to see if jess would
come out, which she did not. Indeed, he saw
nothing more of her till supper time Bessie
told him that she said she was busy packing;
but, as one can only take twenty pounds
weight of luggage in post cart, this did not
quite convince him that it was so in fact.
At supper she was, if possible, even more
quiet than she had been at dinner. After it
was over he asked her to sing, but she de-
clined, saying that she had given up singing
for the present, and persisting in her state
ment in spite of the chorus of remonstrance it
aroused. The birds only sing while they are
mating; and it is, by the way, curious
thing, and suggestive OF the theory that the
same great principles pervade all nature, that
jess, now that her trouble had overtaken her,
and that she had lost her love which had sud
denly sprung from her heart-full grown and
clad in power as Athena sprung from the
head of Jove-had no further inclination to
use her divine gift of song. 1t probably was
nothing more than a coincidence, but it was a
curious one.
The arrangement was that on the morrow
jess was to be driven in the Cape cart to
Martinus Wesselstroom, more commonly
called Wakkerstroom, and there catch the
post cart, which was timed to leave the town
at midday, though when it would leave was
quite another matter Post carts are not par
ticuar to day OF so in the Transvaal
Old Sllas Croft was going to drive her with
Bessie, who had some shopping to do in Wax
RESTROOM, as ladies sometimes have; but at
the last moment the old man got Fremont
tory twinge of the rheumatism, to which he
was martyr, and could not go, so, of course,
John volunteered, and, though jess raised
some difficulties, Bessie furthered the idea,
and in the end his offer was accepted
Accordingly at $50 on beautiful morning
- ~
wheels, stout stinkwood disselboom, and four
spirited young horses; to the head of which
the Hottentot jamie, assisted by the Zulu
Mouti, clad in the sweet simplicity of a
moocha, a few feathers in his wool. and a
horn snuff box stuck through the fleshy part
of the ear, hung grimly on. In they got
John first, then Bessie next to him, then jess.
Next Jantle scrambled up behind; and after
some preliminary backing and plunging. and
showing a disposition to Irvine themselves
atlecuonately round the orange trees, off
went the horses at a hand gallop, and away
swung the cart after them, in a fashion that
would have frightened anybody not accus-
toned to that mode of progression pretty well
out Of his wits. As it was, John had as much
as he could do to keep the four horses together
tttlA " tiNNNilt thtll ilpii bp'tlIiS, ann tllS
alone, to say nothing of the rafting and
jolting of the vehicle over the uneven track
was sufficient to put stop to any attempt at
conversation
WakkerStroom was about eighteen miles
from MoolfonteIn, a distance that they
covered well within the two hours Here the
horses were outSlanned at the hotel, aud John
went into the house whence the post cart was
to start and booked jess seat and then Joined
the ladies at the "kantoor,r or store where
they were shopping After the shopping was
done they went back to the inn together and
had some dinner; by which time the Hotten-
tot driver OF the cart began to tune up Justify
but unmelodiously, on bugle to inform in
tending passengers That it was time TO start
Bessie was out of the room at the moment
and, with the exception of a peculiarly dirty
looking coolie waiter, there was nobody
about
How long are you going to be away, Miss
Jess asked John
Two months. more or less Capt Mel
Il am very sorry that you are going" be
said, earnestly. at will be very dull at the
farm without YOU
There will be Bessie for you to talk to-"
she answered, turning her face to the win
dow and affecting to watch the inspannins
of the post cart III the yard on which it
looked
Capt, Mel" she said, suddenly.
"Yesw
Mind you look after Bessie while | am
away. Listen! | am going to tell you some
thing. You know Frank Muller2"
Yes, | know him, and very disagreeable
fellow he is
"Weil, he threatened Bessie the other day,
and he Is a man who Is quite capable of car
rying out threat l can't tell you anything
more about it, but want You to promise me
to protect Bessie if any occasion for it should
arise / do not know that 1t will, but it
might. win Won promise'7
"Of course will. would do a great deal
more than that if you asked me to, jess be
answered, tenderly, fer now that she was go.
ing away be felt curiously drawn toward her,
and was anxious to show it.
''Never mind me- she said. with an impa-
tent little movement. Bessie is sweet enough
and lovely enough to be looked after for her
own sake, should think"
Before he could say any more in came Bes-
sic herself, saying that the driver was wait
ing, and they went out TO see her sister off.
Don't forget your promise" jess whis-
pered to him, beuding down as he helped her
into the cart, SO low that her lips almost
touched him and her breath rested for sec
ond on his cheek like the ghost of kiss.
In another moment the sisters had EN-
braced each other, tenderly enough; the
driver had sounded once more on his awful
bugle, and away went the cart at full gallop,
bearing with it jess, two other passengers
aud her majestys mails. John and Bessie
stood for a moment watching its mad career,
as it went splashiug and banging down the
struggling street toward the wide plans be
yond, and then turned to enter the inn again
and prepare for their homeward drive. As
they did so, an old Boer, named Hans Coetzee,
with whom John was already slightly ac-
quainted, came up, and extending an enor-
mously big and thick hand, bid them "Gooden
daag." Hans Coetzee was very favorable
specimen Of the better sort of Boer, and
really came moro or less up to the ideal pict-
ure that is so often drawn of that simple
pastoral people" He was a very large, stout